In The News

The South Vietnamese military command is dispatching as many as 16,000 troops northward to bolster battered units fighting seven North Vietnamese regiments in southern Laos.

A powerful explosion rips the Senate wing of the U.S Capitol directly beneath the floor of the chamber, causing extensive damage but no injures.

President Nixon, denouncing “the violent people,” says that government buildings must be kept open to the public despite the bombing of the U.S. capitol and a spate of false bomb threats that followed.

Displaying confidence in Laos, President Nixon calls on the American people to stand behind him “while the jury is still out.”

South Vietnamese troops in Laos advance to within three miles of the Ho Chi Minh Trail junction of Tchepone.

Four American airmen kidnapped by left-wing extremists issue a desperate plea for their lives following a final warning form the kidnapers that they would be executed if a $400,000 ransom was not met. “Help us, I want to live,” said a letter from James Gholson of Alexandria, Va. “tell my family I love all of them and I think all of this will end happily.”

The deadline for the threatened execution of four kidnapped American Airmen passes with no word on their fate.

President Nixon sends a $2 billion manpower program to Congress proposing to free 85% of the money for such local spending as public work for the jobless.

Sports news – March 1, 1971

Jack Nicklaus wins the PGA championship for a second time.

Resigns - Johnny Bench, Cincinnati’s Mr. Everything, greatly eases the Reds’ contract problems by signing his pact the day before the March 1 holdout deadline.

Music news – March 1, 1971

Music news – March 1, 1971

Promoter Bill Graham knows his business. He says he feels it is increasingly difficult for medium-sized (around 3,000) capacity rock clubs and ballrooms such as his Fillmores to put on quality shows. The name talent heads for the bigger venues such as Madison Square Garden. But, says Graham – “The fact is only 3,000 people can really see and hear well at the Garden. The rest of the audience is getting rooked.”